I’m all about hiking and paddling with a qualified naturalist. Maybe it’s a sign of my age, but it adds so much to my outdoors experience when there’s someone to point out hidden gems and explain a little biology, geology or history along the way.

I recently did a post on private guides and group guided hikes, and mentioned the ADK Mountain Club’s Cascade Center as a great resource. Well, it pays to check their events calendar frequently, because they just added a whole ton of new, FREE hikes with naturalists, departing from the ADK Loj at Heart Lake. Here’s a link to the ADK Mtn Club’s calendar so you can find the latest.

All of the following summer naturalist programs are FREE! Note the following info is from 2023.

• Mount Jo Guided Hikes (daily in summer): Take a hike up Mount Jo with an ADK Naturalist and discover some of the secrets of the history, ecology, and geology of the landscape. This is a one-way guided hike to the top of Mount Jo with an ADK Naturalist, who will stay on the summit of the mountain for the remainder of the day as a steward. The hike promptly starts at 9:00 A.M. daily, outside the Adirondak Loj by the kiosk at Heart Lake.

• Heart Lake Naturalist Walks / Paddle (daily in summer): Join a Summer Naturalist for a 2-hour interpretive walk or paddle. All walks start from the Adirondak Loj by the Kiosk at Heart Lake at 10:00am daily. The topic for the walk will depend on the guide. Potential topics could include: “Discover The Hidden Treasures of Trees”with Dragonfly Danielle; “An Aquatic Examination of the Adirondack Archives” Paddling Program with Hammock Harrison; “Tiny but Mighty: An Exploration of Mosses” with Algae America; “Finding your Niche: Different Ways to Connect with Nature” with Vireo Victoria. Call the Loj Front Desk at 518-523-3441 to find out the walk of the day.

• Wednesday Night Campfire (weekly in summer): Unrequited love, a devastating forest fire, and a narrow escape: Heart Lake is steeped in the romance and tragedy of days gone by. Relive a tradition started by Henry Van Hoevenberg in 1878 by joining us around the campfire. Stick around until the end for s'mores! Shows run from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. every Wednesday at the Adirondak Loj amphitheater.

• Friday Night Hikes (weekly in summer): Dusk and nighttime are wonderful times to explore your senses in the natural world. Don’t fear the dark; join an ADK Naturalist for a night adventure. Night walks are held from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. every Friday. Meet outside the Adirondak Loj by the Heart Lake Kiosk.

• Saturday Evening Naturalist Talks (weekly in summer): ADK offers a one-hour presentation every Saturday night at the Adirondak Loj amphitheater (in the Adirondak Loj dining room if raining). Topics range from natural and cultural history to local wildlife and more. Talks start at 8:00 P.M. Please contact the Loj front desk at 518-523-3441 on Saturday for the topic of the night.

• Saturday Naturalist Hikes - Wetlands at Cascade Welcome Center (weekly in summer): Discover the beauty of the Adirondack wetlands on a 2-hour guided hike with an ADK Naturalist through the trails behind Cascade Welcome Center. Walks run every Saturday at 1:00 P.M. Meet at Cascade Welcome Center lobby.